Improvement in spring-lancets



'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE J. CAPEWELIJ, OF WEST CHESHIRE, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPRING-LANCETS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,620, dated June 19, 1866.

To all whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE J. CAPEWELL, of West Cheshire, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lancing Implements; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a a part of this specication.

The present invention relates to an implement or instrument intended more especially for the lancing of horses and other animals, although it can be applied to other and various purposes; and itconsists, principally, in a peculiar-formed cap for the casing of the instrument in which the knife-blade is arranged, whereby, when the instrument is placed upon the animal with suoli cap over the vein which is to be lanced, the vein will be firmly and tightly held in the proper position for the knife to act upon it, as will be apparent from the following description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying plate of drawings, in which- Figure l is aside view ot' my improved lancing-instrument, andv Fig. 2 a central section taken in the direction of its length.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A in the drawings represents an outer easing or tube, made of brass or any other suitable metal or material, closed at one of its ends, b. In this tube is placed another concentric tube, B, made of a length equal, or

nearly so, to one-half of the same.

C isa lancing-knife secured in the lower end of the inner tube, B, and projecting therefrom, by a set or thumb screw D, by means of which it can be so adjusted therein as to project more or less from its end, according to the depth which it is desired the knife should penetrate the liesh when the instrument is used. This screw D projects from the outside of the incasing or outer tube, A, through and in a long narrow slot, c, extending in the direction of its length. It moves as the lance is operated, as will be presently described.

E is a spiral spring placed within the outer tube, A, to the. closed end of which it is fastened by one end, and by its other to the inner concentric tube, B, having the blade, so that if the inner tube, by pulling' upon the set-screw D, is drawn toward the closed end ofthe outer tube, A, the said spring E will he consequently compressed, whereby, by then removing the hand from the said set-screw, the knife or lance will be thrown toward and out of the open end G of the casing A with great force, and thus made to penetrate the tiesh against which it was previously set.

H is a lever-catch hung upon the outside of the casing A by the bent spring I, fastened thereto at one end, and at its other end to the under side of the said catch H, the hook end of which catch, when the knife-tube has been drawn into its case, as above explained, holds it invsuch position, by interlocking with its notch j', until desired to release the same, which is accomplished by simply pressing down upon its thumb-piece g, when the lance is sent forward by the action of the spring, as before explained.

In order to enable the vein of the animal which is to be lanced to be h'rmly and tightly held while being subjected to the action of thelance, I have secured to the open end of the outer casing, A, a cap-piece, K, having a slot or opening, L, across its width, of suitable shape to allow the knife-blade to pass through it` each side of which opening` parallel to the width of the knife has a similar lip or iiange, 7L, bent outward into the shape shown in section in Fig. 2, or into a suitable shape for embracing the animals vein, and so holding it upon each of its sides as to prevent it from moving to one side or the other, thus retaining it in the proper position to be acted upon by the knife or lance ot' the instrument, as is obvious without further explanation.

If desired to use the knife of the lancing instrument for making a long cut in the liesh ot' the animal, draw the inner tube of the instrument down toward the open end of the outer casing, A, until its knife projects therefrom, when the catch H then interlocking with a notch, l, at or near the inner end of the knife-tube, it is irmly held in such position, and can be used-as desired.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Paten t The slotted cap-piece K for the casing A, having outward-bent lips or iianges lt upon each side of its slot or opening, substantially as and for the purpose described.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 16th day of February, 1866.

G. J. CAPEWELL. Witnesses: v j

M. M. LIVINGSTON, ALBERT W. BROWN. 

